NEWS IN BRIEF: A summary of developments across Los Angeles County | Community News File / Downtown

Crews Uncover Artifacts at Site of New Cathedral

Chicken bones, a medicine bottle and an Anheuser-Busch beer bottle all believed to be more than 100 years old were among the artifacts discovered during excavation of the site where the new Los Angeles Roman Catholic cathedral is to be built, an archeologist said Tuesday.

"This is really neat," said Donn Grenda, an architect who accompanies construction crews on the site bounded by Hill and Temple streets, Grand Avenue and the Hollywood Freeway.

Crews uncovered two foundations this week, the first major find of the initial phase of construction. The first discovery was a brick foundation of a house that dates to at least 1888. The second find was the concrete remains of a mechanic's garage built over the house about 1920, Grenda said. It was there archeologists found a bounty of artifacts, including a bottle of prescription medicine issued from a downtown pharmacy.

"It was kind of exciting because the bottle had the address of the pharmacy, 222 S. Main St.," said Grenda.